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Re: who influence you?

...there is a great little film about Ruth Stout, but it looks like the copies online have been taken off due to copyright issues (you can still buy it).

Basically, she moved from the city to "the country" in CT, I think when she was in her 40's....she learned to garden (as a young woman, she smashed saloons with Carrie Nation).

She developed a very simple approach to gardening that works well for us...in a nutshell....every problem is solved by piling hay on top of it. The hay holds in the moisture (one very dry year we watered 3 times). As it rots, it creates soil from the top down, and the ph changes so that slugs are not a problem. Worms thrive, and follow the path of dead roots in the fall and aerate the soil.....tilling is never necessary, and the surface (aerobic) and deeper (anaerobic) microbes maintain their order and integrity. The hay also keeps soil from splashing when it rains, cutting down on fungal problems. Certainly for a small garden in this part of the country, it works very well (some in warmer areas say that the pests thrive in the hay overwinter if it does not get cold enough).
Her books are great, but it all boils down to piling hay on everything...and I'm talking of several inches of hay, not a light dusting.
I have some cousins who live near where she lived and knew her a bit...she used to stop traffic (literally) because she did her gardening in the nude well into her 80's and 90's I believe.
I think about her every day....when I see the 100 bales of hay sitting in the driveway

deknow

Last edited by deknow; 11-14-2012 at 06:25 PM.
Reason: "top down" rather than "ground up"

Re: who influence you?

Ruth lived in suburban CT....she grew her own veggies like a lot of people, but she was not from "The Good Life" school. The Nearing's place was in the middle of coastal Maine, and they strived to live independently. I think the Nearings were rather uptight in comparison....Ruth did everything so simply so she could finish her work for the day, and lay on the couch with a glass of wine and a book....before noon.
We looked at applying to be caretakers at the Nearing place...but since our dog was not a vegetarian, they would not consider us (I'm not a veggie either, but I can fake it better than our dog can).

Re: who influence you?

I took the OP to mean the people who have contributed to your philosophy of beekeeping. So with that having been said I have borrowed ideas from a great many people, but those that come to mind right now are:
Michael Bush-natural beekeeping and cheap beekeeping
Michael Palmer-- NUCS
Fatbeeman-- Geez all kinds of things
Jeff/Jim Fischer (can't remember he's not on here anymore)Of Fischer's beequick, if I remember he had a very scientific approach.
And of Course, Beesource as a whole, the back and forth conversations, other people's problems that give you a chance to put your thinking cap and and you learn something trying to help them solve their problem. I've been doing this for 9 years, but having beesource makes me feel like my knowledge level is much more than that. Thanks to all

I always tell people who are getting started in beekeeping, Mine isn't the only way to do things, listen to a bunch of people and follow the approaches that more closely match your way of thinking. More than one way to skin a Bee.

I especially like the idea of placing boards on top of newly seeded carrots...until they germinate. If you grow carrots, you understand.
How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back: A New Method of Mulch Gardening

Re: who influence you?

Originally Posted by sqkcrk

Ruth Stout? Why does that name sound familiar?

Michael, did you mention Mr. Mraz? You must have learned a thing or two from him, didn't you?

Yes, of course, I did incluse Mraz. In fact, my new queen rearing presentation has something in it about Charles. I especially enjoyed, and learned from the little debates Mraz and Ed Hazen would have at our bee meetings. As a young beekeeper, I was awed by both. Ed and Charles were contemporaries. Always seemed to take oposite sides on a debate...for instance...should you use full sheetsd or starters when making comb honey. Charles said starter strip[s, and Ed said full sheets. But then...Mraz bought his honey from Hazen. I follow Ed's way, as he was a better honey producer...the Mraz's still buy their comb honey...from me. But Charles was the queen breeder, and I follow his advice on that.

Re: who influence you?

Originally Posted by sqkcrk

Forebear to Helen and Scott Nearing?

Gardening in the nude? Maybe that's where Charles Mraz got his inspiration to work bees in swim trunks.

No, Helen and Scott started way before Ruth. The Nearings were more about a way of life than a way of gardening. When we moved to the country back in the late 60s, [I]Living the Good Life, and The Maple Sugar Book[I] were nearly bibles in the movement.

I probably should have included them and AI Root on my list. Both councel to sell your products at a price that will sell all. AI said it's better to sell your cabbages for 10 cents a pound, and sell them alland have the money, that it is to hold onto the cabbages for higher price, and not sell them all.

Re: who influence you?

Three people on my short list:
Bernie Draper - God rest his soul - Drapers Super Bee - I was seriously hurt in 1994 and spent many, many hours with Bernie listening and learning and reading his book. This inspiration and knowlege got me through a very difficult time. He quided me to keep going and to get my operation up and running and was always there to share his knowledge.

Barry - Thanks Barry for Beesource - I have learned more from this single resource either through reading here, research spawned by provocative threads, sharing with members, and made several friends and enjoyed many hours (some weeks too many) on Beesource. Most everyone here is so forward thinking it forces me to do my best to keep up and makes my operation better every day.

Brian - my 21 year old son who works every day with me in our bee business. He is so much smarter that I at his age than I was, is always working to better what we do and is the finest young man I have ever known - by my account and from unsolicited reporsts from virtually everyone he knows.

Re: who influence you?

Ray Nickel - My first exposure to beekeeping in 1975. Found on the web:
"He [Ray] also had the opportunity to develop a much beloved hobby of beekeeping and soon thereafter became the president of the Cook County Beekeepers organization, the third largest in the country."

Ed & Dee Lusby - First made contact with them in 1999. Forever changed the way I look at beekeeping.

Dennis Murrell - Have spent many years discussing beekeeping with each other. Dennis has a keen eye of observation that has taught me a lot.

You, the people that make up this community. The full spectrum of experience and knowledge is always impacting my beekeeping. Thank you!

Re: who influence you?

James Gist - who makes a profitable honey crop year after year from his 6-8 hives next to his house right in my town.

Joseph Clemons, Old Timer, Michael Bush, Michael Palmer, Ray Marler, and Robert Russell (you got to admit, there for a while he was very influential) - and others of course - who taught me how to be sustainable and raise a few good queens of my own right here on this forum.

Re: who influence you?

Wow the thread has been awakened!

I would have to first say my brother. He wanted to start beekeeping years ago and kept putting it off. I said I would help him and we finally started. He was stung once and swelled up like a balloon. Needless to say I am alone in the venture now. He does enjoy my harvest though.

Later I met a great mentor on this forum and he has been an invaluable resource and friend. Here's a shout out to you B-! Thanks!

This forum has been great! So much great information. Hours of enjoyment and learning during the "off season" if there is such a thing.

Brother Adam's work.

Michael Bush

Mike Palmer

FatBeeMan

Who else is there? Just kidding... Oops I almost forgot. My wife. Who allows me to spend time watching other girls.